Time to Forget
by Silent Amethyst
Summary: Just as he could no longer return to this home, no longer did he have to carry the resolve to live without a home. Post-Promised Day.


**Just a short oneshot in honor of October 3. **

**Enjoy!**

**~* Time to Forget *~**

For being the beginning of fall it was relatively warm outside. A gentle breeze blew, not enough to make a sound out of the surrounding trees and grasses but certainly to cool off the air. Large perfectly shaped puffs of white dotted the clean blue sky, occasionally offering reprieve from the bright golden rays of the sun.

An oak tree, for years its outer core scorched black beyond return, stood over the equally scorched remains of what once was a home.

A home that had been lost to the hands of death over a decade ago.

A home that had become merely a house, a place of residency and of secrecy in the absence of a family.

A home that had become more familiar with the likes of anguish and turmoil than joy and happiness.

A home that had been officially declared irredeemable, figuratively and literally.

Funny, really, how its current state of ruin adequately symbolized its history.

A large cloud passed under the sun, cloaking the entire countryside in shadows made darker by dismal aura the patch of land seemed to be indefinitely shrouded in, especially this day.

Three times Edward had stood before the ruins of his childhood home the same way one would stand in front of a gravestone, including the present. The last had been over a year ago for an abrupt visit to his mechanic. The other had been five years ago to the day. The day that had been roughly etched into the inside of a state-issued pocket watch. It was the day that the significance of that watch began to take affect on the lives of himself and his brother.

That day seemed so long ago. So much had happened since then. It was almost hard to believe their seemingly endless journey was over. But nonetheless, it was.

And now it was time to forget, to let go of the burdens of the past so he could really, truly move on.

A sudden burst of wind rushed across the earth's surface, rustlings the tall grasses and flipping around his long bangs. He sighed and shoved his hand in his pocket, pulling out the silver watch that he had carried for so many years. With a small smile, he remembered the conversation he had with Mustang when he turned in his resignation papers.

"_So that's it. You are officially a free man, Fullmetal." Mustang set down the pen, having just written down his signature and sighed. "It sure is going to get quiet around here."_

"_Technically you can't call me that anymore, y'know."_

_He shrugged. "Force of habit. Well, all I need now is your watch and you're free to go."_

_Pulling it out, Edward was just about to toss it onto the desk when something stopped him and he pulled it back to look at it thoughtfully._

"_Second thoughts?"_

"_Huh?" he looked up and shook his head. "No, it's just... can I keep it?"_

_Mustang quirked his eyebrows. "I thought you'd be all too eager to get rid of it."_

"_I know, me too. But…I don't know. It's hard to explain."_

"_Well, by standard regulation you're supposed to turn it in so people don't take advantage of the privileges it provides without the qualifications to back it up. However, since I trust you won't do that," he sat back in his chair pretending to examine the back of his hand, "I _suppose_ I could make an excuse to cover it up." Mustang looked at him pointedly, as if expecting gratitude for his willingness to go out of his way for him._

_Edward just stared back at him before muttering a grudging, "Thanks."_

_Mustang only smirked. "Just tell me why and we'll call it even, cause I doubt you want it as a souvenir."_

Shaking his head, Ed placed the watch back into his pocket and stepped up to where the front door of the house used to be. It had been difficult to answer his former superior's question because he really wasn't absolutely sure of it himself at the time. He wasn't even sure what to do with it. It had been more of a gut feeling that moved him to keep the offending object, the reason being a mere echo in the back of his mind. But with more time to dwell on it, the reason became clearer, especially now.

Just as he could no longer return to this home, no longer did he have to carry the resolve to live without a home. Because he had become a state alchemist, he had forsaken his home and because of what he had committed in his home, he had become a state alchemist. They—the watch and this place—were definitely intertwined. It only seemed appropriate that he let go of both here, and on this day no less.

Gripping the small garden shovel in his right hand, Ed knelt down on his knees and began to dig. A few minutes later he had finished a hole about six inches deep and in diameter.

Once again, he reached into his pocket to remove the watch, sparring it the briefest of glances before tossing it into the crevice with a small, metallic thud. He wasted no time sweeping the misplaced dirt back over it. There was no reason to mourn over this loss.

As he stood back up another gust blew and the sun reappeared. A yellow leaf danced by in the wind, catching his attention.

"…the hell?" Where had that come from?

Edward looked around searching for the tree it had come from. As far as he knew, there weren't any nearby. Not except for the one just few feet away. And understandably, that was the last place he looked. That tree was scorched to the core anyway; there was no way it could still be alive…

Yet it was.

On a few blackened branches hung sparsely scattered yellowing leaves.

He let out a short, wondrous laugh. Even after all this time, after all the destruction, it was still alive and growing. Somehow, he found that oddly symbolic of himself and his life.

"Brother?"

Ed turned around, finding the thin form of his brother leaning heavily on a cane standing just a few feet behind. "Al, what are you doing here?"

"Finding you." Al replied easily. "And I used to live here too, you know."

"By yourself?" he said, the words coming out more accusatory than he meant them to be. "That's a long way to come."

The younger brother just shrugged. "I don't mind walking." he said wistfully before looking around at the sight before him. "It's really been five years, hasn't it?"

Ed only nodded, moving to stand next to Al. For a few minutes the brothers stood together in companionable silence, reminiscing in the good and the bad memories, and pondering over what could have been and what now was.

"Do you regret it?" Al was the first to speak up again, not turning away from the ruins of his childhood home.

"Regret what?" Ed cast a quizzical gaze on his brother.

He motioned towards the massacre before them. "This." He met his gaze curiously. "Do you regret burning it down?"

"Honestly?" he sighed heavily. "No. I think burning it down was the right thing to do. There was nothing worthwhile to return to here and that phase of our lives was over anyway. There was nothing to left to lose… why? Do you?"

"No. I agree with what you said." Al shook his head. "I just wanted to know what you thought about it, though."

Ed nodded his acceptance before placing a hand Al's shoulder. "Well, don't have anything left here, but we do have another home with a family waiting for us." He grinned rakishly. "And maybe some apple pie too. Winry was making some when I left earlier."

Al just rolled his eyes but smiled as they slowly started back down the hill to the main road. "Yea Brother, let's go home."

*"*"*"*"*"*

**Hope you liked it. Sorry I didn't have time to edit it. I really wanted to get this up today and it's late as it is. I'm not sure about the ending, cause it was kinda rushed, but I think its okay. It's at least somewhat like I envisioned it. **

**Just on a side note, has anyone noticed that the date in the first anime and the manga-based anime are different? In the first it's the year 1910 and the other its 1911. I just thought it was interesting because I was getting a little confused until I found out. And I thought it was neat that for these two years we'd be have the exact same date as that. **

**Anyway, enough babble. Please review! It's much appreciated.**

**~Silenthyst**


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